Watercare’s $15.2b plan to bring more water from Waikato, create thousands of jobs

Katie Bradford Senior Correspondent ·NZ Herald·29 Jul, 2026 05:00 PM4 mins to read‌A new $1.7 billion Waikato water supply programme will see upgrades that will help up to 300 million litres of drinking water come from Waikato to Auckland. Photo / NZMEUp to 300 million litres of treated drinking water a day will come from the Waikato River to Auckland by the end of 2033, as part of a deal struck between Watercare and Waikato-Tainui. The water entity has released its biggest-ever capital investment programme, promising to invest $15.2 billion over